A mecca for eco-conscious consumers, this cheery East Village storefront hosts an earth-friendly general store (find cleaning products, beauty items, jewelry and gifts) and an organic café, Ciao for Now, all between its reclaimed lumber walls. On the store side, shelves are stocked with everyday goods ranging from biodegradable trash bags ($8) to solar-powered radios ($28), but the selection of accessories and beauty products is the strongest. You’ll find recognizable brands such as Pangea Organic beauty products ($8–$40) alongside lesser-known lines like Priti, whose range of nontoxic nail polishes ($13) and soy nail polish remover ($11) shouldn’t be missed. We also love Zig Zag’s fair-trade tie-dye scarves ($23) and recycled plastic bangles ($3–$6) from Burkina Faso for their on-trend appeal. There’s no shortage of gifts for the tree-hugger in your life, such as Two’s Company recycled-tin letter wall hooks ($15) and Pacifica soy candles ($16). The devotion to all things green continues at the in-store Ciao for Now Cafe, which emphasizes local and organic ingredients in all of its made-fresh-daily baked goods (75¢–$4) and uses quadruple-filtered water for its full range of coffee drinks ($2–$5). Enjoy an egg wrap with vegetarian sausage ($4) at a table in the sunny nook, where free Wi-Fi is available.
Time Out says
Details
- Address
- 139 Avenue A
- New York
- Cross street:
- between St Marks Pls and 9th St
- Transport:
- Subway: L to First Ave, 6 to Astor Pl
- Opening hours:
- Mon–Fri 8am–10pm; Sat, Sun 9am–10pm
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